Container for ball-point insert



1962 J. M. scHwARzAuGL 3,051,133

CONTAINER FOR BALL-POINT INSERT Filed June 8, 1959 FIG-Z INVE N 710EUnited States Patent 3,051,133 CONTAINER F OR BALL-PGINT INSERT Josef M.Schwarziiugl, Stein, near Numberg, Germany, assignor to A. W.Faber-(Install, Stein, near Nurnherg,

Germany, a firm of Germany Filed June 8, 1959, Ser. No. 818,674 Claimspriority, application Germany June 18, 1958 0 Claims. (Cl. 120-424) Thepresent invention relates to an airtight container for storing, shippingand exhibiting an individual ballpoint insert for a ball-point pen.

The containers or packages for ball-point inserts used prior to thisinvention usually consisted of cellophane bags or glass tubes. Morerecently they also consisted of special bags of plastic each containinga certain quantity of inserts, for example, a dozen, and provided withan edge which was prepared so as to be easily torn off to open thepackage. Thus, for removing the inserts from the airtight package, thelatter had to be torn apart and destroyed. This was also necessary if anindividual ballpoint insert was to be tested to determine its qualityand writing characteristics which also required its insertion into aseparate holder or casing to permit a proper manipulation thereof whenwriting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a container for anindividual ball-point insert which overcomes the above-mentioneddisadvantages of the known containers and is adapted also to serve as asimple pen holder for manipulating the ball-point insert when makingwriting tests therewith or when a normal holder is not available. Thiscontainer is only intended for high-quality inserts and preferablyconsists of a transparent plastic material to permit the markings on theinsert signifying the type and quality thereof to be read through thecontainer.

The container according to the invention is preferably of a very simpledesign consisting of a substantially cylindrical hollow shaft oftransparent plastic into which the individual ball-point insert isplaced with its Writing tip fitting into the closed end portion, whilethe rear end of the insert is covered by an airtight slip-on cap. Thiscap is provided with a.- central bore, the outer end of which isnormally sealed but may be pierced by the writing tip of the ball-pointinsert when the latter is reversed in the container so that thecontainer may then serve as a holder for writing with the insert. Theclosure for sealing the cap is preferably designed so as again to closesubstantially airtight when the ball-point insert is returned to itsoriginal position in the container.

These and further objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will now be described in greater detail with reference to theaccompanying drawings of several preferred embodiments thereof, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 shows a longitudinal cross section of a container according tothe invention in the sealed condition;

FIGURE 2 shows a modification of the cap seal produced by dipping;

FIGURE 3 shows another modification of the cap seal consisting of aplug;

FIGURE 4 shows a further modification of the cap seal attained by theinherent resilience of the cap material; While FIGURE 5 shows a View ofthe container similar to FIGURE 1, but with the ball-point insert in thereversed position therein ready for writing.

Referring to the drawings, the container according to the invention forpacking, storing and shipping an individual ball-point pen insertconsists of a clear transparent plastic comprising a hollow,substantially cylindrical shaft 1 and a slip-on cap 2 on the open end ofshaft 1 so as to close the container hermetically. The lower end ofshaft 1, as viewed in the drawings, is provided with a socket bore 5 ofa diameter smaller than that of the main bore 5 in shaft 1 andsubstantially equal to the outer diameter of the thin tip of theball-point insert 3 which is normally inserted into the shaft with itstip fitting into bore 5', as shown in FIGURE 1. The shoulder 6 betweenbores 5 and 5' is preferably made conical in accordance with the conicalportion between the tip and the main body of the insert so as to givethe entire insert a firm seat within the container, and bore 5' is madeof a length slightly greater than that of the tip to prevent the ball ofthe insert from resting on the bottom of bore 5. For receiving theslip-on cap 2, the diameter of the upper end of shaft 1 is preferablyslightly reduced so that the lower end of cap 2 may be made of the sameouter diameter as shaft 1 and be slipped over the same only for thelength of this portion 4. Cap 2 has a bore 7 in its upper end which,however, does not extend entirely through the end but only so far that avery thin Wall portion 8 will remain on the tip of the cap. The rear endof insert 3 normally rests on the conical shoulder 7 between bore 7 andthe main bore 7". Thus, by the :conical shoulders 6 and 7, the ballpointinsert 3 is firmly held within the container without being able to slidetherein.

If the ball-point insert 3 is to be tested, cap 2 is withdrawn fromshaft 1 and the insert is taken out, reversed, and reinserted so thatits blunt rear end then rests on the shoulder 6 and the tip of theinsert will now project from shaft 1. When cap 2 is then again slippedon, the ball-point pierces through the thin wall portion 8, whereuponthe container may be used as a normal pen holder. The ball-point insert3 is then again securely held between the conical shoulders 6 and 7'.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modification of the closure of bore 7 in theslip-on cap 2. It consists of a simple coating 9 which may be formed,for example, by dipping the open tip of the cap in a suitable liquidlacquer, plastic or the like.

FIGURE 3 shows another modification of the closure of bore 7 in cap 2consisting of a plug 10 which is preferably made of a resilient plastic.

FIGURE 4 finally illustrates a further embodiment of the invention inwhich the slip-on cap 2' is designed so as to form at least a dust-proofclosure of the container even after the ball-point insert 3 has oncebeen used therein in the position as shown in FIGURE 3 and after the tipof the insert has once been inserted through bore 7 and the insert hasthereafter been reversed to its original position as shown in FIGURE 1.The entire cap 2' is in this case made of a resilient material, forexample, a highly molecular polyethylene, rubber, or the like, and theupper end of bore 7 is made of a conical shape and the tip of the cap isprovided with a small slit 11. When the tip of the ball-point insert 3is withdrawn from bore 7, slit 11 will close due to the inherentresilience of the material so that, when the insert is again placed intothe container in its original position as shown in FIGURE 1, it will besealed therein so as to be at least dust-proof.

The container according to any of the embodiments of the invention asdescribed may therefore serve as an excellent and very appealing packageof an individual high-quality ball-point insert and also as a pen holderfor such insert, particularly at a time when the user does not have anormal holder available, for example, while traveling.

\Although my invention has been illustrated and described with referenceto the preferred embodiments thereof, I wish to have it understood thatit is in no way limited to the details of such embodiments, but iscapable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

Having. thus, fully described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination which comprises: a ball point pen having an elongatedstem and an elongated writing tip which extends beyond one end of saidstem; and a container for said pen, said container comprising first andsecond tubular sections eonnectable to each other to form the completecontainer, said first and second sections being formed, respectively,with first and second shoulders spaced from each other a distance equalto the length of said stem so as to hold said pen within the containerformed by said sections, said first section having a closed end formedwith a blind first bore extending from said first shoulder, being atleast as long as said writing tip, and being adapted to receive saidwriting tip, said second section having a second bore through which saidwriting tip may extend, said second bore extending from said secondshoulder, being shorter than said writing tip, and having an end throughwhich said writing tip may project, whereby said pen may 'be receivedwithin said container in an inoperative position wherein said writingtip is. within said first bore, said combination thus forming a packagedpen, or in an operative position wherein said Writing tip extendsthrough said second here so that the very end portion of said writingtip projects exteriorly of said container, said combination thus forminga pen ready for use.

2. A container; as defined in claim 1 wherein said sections are soshaped that when they are connected to each other, their exteriorsurfaces are flush with each other.

3. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said end ofsaid second boreis initially closed off by a thin plate portion integral with saidsecond section but is adapted to be perforated by said writing tip whenthe latter is extended through said second bore.

4. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein said second bore extendsall the way through but has said end normally closed off by theresilient configuration of said end, so that when said writing tip isextended. through said second bore, such writing tip may protrude allthe way through said second bore.

5. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein at least said first sectionis made of a transparent material.

6. A container as defined in claim 1 wherein one of said sections isshorter than the other and constitutes a cap which fits over said othersection.

7. A container as defined intclaim 1 wherein said end of said secondbore is initially closed off but is adapted to be perforated by saidwriting tip when the latter is extended through said second bore.

8. A container as defined in claim 7 wherein said second bore is closed011 by a thin perforatable plate portion integral with said secondsection.

9. A container as defined in claim 7 wherein said second bore is closedoff by a coating applied over the otherwise open end.

10. A container as defined in claim 7 wherein said second bore is closedofi by a plug removably arranged within said second bore.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS658,998 Randall Oct. 2, 1900 1,693,299 Jones NOV. 27, 1928 2,072,441Cameron Mar. 2, 1937 2,237,086 Bruns Apr. 1, 1941 2,533,165 HagedornDec. 5, 1950 2,551,490 Ferst et al. May 1, 1951 2,955,468 Hein Oct. 11,1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 533,220 Italy Sept; 20, 1955 969,388 France May 24,1950 937,011 France Feb; 23, 1948 lawn.-.

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